About
Objectives: A Simple Breakdown
Facilities and Operations
- To support students and faculty with sustainability facility related projects - applied research and applications.
- To develop and maintain a healthy, energy efficient, and cost-effective environment while promoting sustainable functions and operations in such areas as landscaping, land use, buildings, infrastructure and energy efficient use, water and waste management, purchasing, materials management and recycling, dining services, transportation and power equipment.
- To make our campus a "living laboratory" for all interested in participating in sustainability efforts that support the purpose of the institute.
Building Knowledge
- To foster an understanding of sustainability issues through education, training and communication by the dissemination of pedagogical materials, discussion topics, case studies, e-learning tools, and current and emerging technology.
- To endorse a cross-faculty approach, to broaden the curricula to include components of critical-ethical analysis and systems thinking for sustainable development.
- To support a student holistic learning approach by integrating sustainability elements in degree programs, resources, and exhibitions.
- To focus faculty in research on sustainability challenges with innovative solutions.
Leadership & Organizational Structure
- To improve organizational structures aimed to promote more effective university-wide collaboration on sustainable practices.
- To support leadership activities that align with sustainable practices within organizations.
Local and Global Communities
- To serve as a resource to champion resilient sustainability activities for local and global communities.
- To bring a regional focus to efforts that implement concepts of sustainability.
- To provide a convening function that reaches out to the civic and environmental leaders around the world, business executives, and government officials.
- To provide information and communication between individuals, groups, institutions and organizations, local and globally, to facilitate positive debates and build knowledge regarding sustainable developments.
Alignment with the Strategic Plan
Uniquely positioned to serve a distinctive role in helping achieve the university's educational goals for the 21st century, the goal is to directly support the four main UHCL core values - Resiliency, Innovation, Service to the Community, and Sustainability.
"A key component of our new vision is to engage in innovative research, and a key
component of our new mission involves community partnerships, both of which are related
to IHAPS's activities and scope. Most importantly, IHAPS is directly built upon the
University of Houston-Clear Lake Core Value of Sustainability as it relates to stewardship
over both natural and social resources. IHAPS directly supports five of fifteen university
strategic objectives - inclusive of Improve Technology, Improve Learning Resources,
Improve Community Collaborative Processes, Improve Innovation, and Improve University
Recognition... IHAPS is a crucial driver in the future success of UHCL."
- Dr. Kevin Wooten, UHCL Chief Strategy Officer.